Running through the gates

One thing I love about running is that you can run anywhere, anytime and see a lot of things, I guess that makes it three things I love about running. This time of year it is especially

nice and soothing to run outside even when your eyes are watering and tears are freezing on your face.

I love running at night after work when all the Christmas, Hanukkah and all kinds of other lights are on and it feels like you are running in a fairy tale.

TriBug running...

When the snow is lightly falling down and you can hear some holiday music somewhere, you feel like you can run forever and can never get tired. One thing I learned while running during Holidays is that no matter what religion you are and no matter what holiday you celebrate, everyone loves lights. Call them Christmas lights, Hanukkah lights, New Year lights, snow lights, it doesn’t matter, everyone loves them and when there are lots of them everywhere you feel the Holiday spirit, you feel happy.  I love to run in places where there are lots of lights, it raises my mood and when I look at the ligh, I feel like a kid who just cant stop staring at them and smile.

TriBug catching a train

Running during this season I just can’t help but think about how lucky we are that we can decorate our homes, cook great food, run and come home all frozen and covered in snow and ice but still happy, have some hot chocolate or Glühwein to warm up and relax with your loved ones.

From all of us at TriBug we wish you Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year, and Happy Anything else you celebrate!

Favorite place to finish the run

Headsweats Alpine Reversible Beanie with Tri Bug

One of TriBug’s personal favorite items during winter is Headsweats Alpine Reversible Beanie. It is warm, soft, wicks moisture, looks great, and is very comfortable. It comes in three colors on the outside layer: black, blue, and green; with all of them having black color on the inside. So, no matter which color you decide to get, you can still reverse it and wear it black side out.

The hat has two layers that make it very warm. The layer on the inside is made of Polyester Cocona fleece for warmth, and the outer layer – of Cocona fabric.  Running makes you sweat even in cold weather but Cocona material helps with extra wicking capabilities and it also makes the hat windproof. I love coming home after a nice long run during winter and seeing the frost on top of my hat which results from my sweat wicking through the hat.

You will love the comfort and warmth of this hat no matter what you are doing outside: running, biking, walking, or just enjoying the nice cold winter days.

Happy winter running and stay warm,

Konstantin
TriBug.com

Fuel Belt Sprint Palm Holder

Fall is upon us and its about time to start thinking about hydration on the run and bike.  For a lot of runners and cyclists water fountains will seize to exist. No longer will you be able to take one water bottle with you and refill it on the bike or take nothing on the run and rely on the lake front bike path water fountains. It is time to take matters into your own hands, and with Fuel Belt hydration systems you can do just that.

Fuel Belt Sahara Palm Holder

I could not get enough of my Fuel Belt Sprint Palm holder. It was all that I needed until I met its bigger brother, the Fuel Belt Sahara Palm Holder, with 22 oz of your favorite liquid or whatever that 7-eleven on the way has.  The pocket is big enough to hold a gel, a few bucks, and some napkins, cause you just never know.

If you don’t like holding the bottle in your hand, there is the Helium 2 bottle hydration belt or the Helium 4 bottle hydration beltwhich should also be good for longer runs.  I have tried both of

Fuel Belt Helium 4 bottle belt

these and even though I don’t mind carrying a bottle in my hand, the Helium belts sat nicely around my waist and didn’t bother me one bit.

Even though it is getting colder, the weather is perfect for running so please don’t stay in, go out and enjoy yourself.  Don’t forget to hydrate!

The race was very well organized, and the course was very well marked. My Garmin Forerunner 305 on the run and Garmin Edge 707 on the bike were showing exact same distance at the mile markers. I felt very safe on the bike. Volunteers were very nice and helpful.

Pleasant Prairie Swim Start

The race site is only 45 min drive from me, so I woke up early Sunday morning and drove straight to the start. The weather promised to be nice and not a cloud in the sky. I setup in transition area, talked to a few people around me, and went for a warm-up swim -  it was around 50F outside and water temperature was 70F. I want to note that transition area was setup very nicely, very close to the swim and very short runs for T1 and T2. There was enough

De Soto Pull over wetsuit

racking space for everyone on each rack which gave us enough room for all our gear in transition.

Swim went pretty well, and water was very warm. Before the start, I thought I might get cold after getting out of the 70F degree water to 50F degree weather, but I didn’t even notice the difference in temperature. Once the gun or horn goes off and you start racing, you don’t even think about details like that. At the swim I wore De Soto wetsuit that is the most comfortable wetsuit I have tried on and it is easy to take off because it’s a 2 piece suit.

De Soto bib wetsuit

Out of the water, quick change for the

bike and out for the ride. The roads were in very good condition; there were almost no hills except for some overpasses. With almost no wind, the bike conditions were just perfect. There were two water stations on the bike where you could grab a cup of water but I chose to steer away from those in case of anything happening.

Quite many bikes were in when I got to transition. I quickly changed to running shoes, grabbed gel and ran off to finish the race. For International distance, the run had 2 water stations on the way but  you could really grab the water 4 times because that’s where part of the course went out and back.

TriBug Bike jersey

For the bike and run portion I wore my favorite 4 pocket Forza shorts also by De Soto and, of course, TriBug jersey.

This was my fastest International distance Triathlon out of what I have done so far, and it felt great. I’m very happy with my results and very happy with the whole experience. I

Pleasant Prairie Triathlon 2011 finisher medal

definitely recommend this triathlon for anyone who is new and who wants to catch the TRI BUG, and for anyone who have done them all.

“There’s magic in misery. We runners lust for more.”

- Dean Karnazes

Picked up another one of Dean’s books, “Run! 26.2 stories of Blisters and Bliss.”  And by picked up I mean that I had it wirelessly sent to my Kindle from amazon.com.  I gotta say that it is not as good as the first one (Ultra marathon Man) but it still gets the job done.  In my opinion the quote above says it all.  The main point is of course to go out and RUN! The misery part fits

Run by Dean Karnazes

nicely with what I was feeling two days ago when I was finishing the White Nights Marathon in St. Petersburg, Russia, and the lust for more set in a few hours after the finish and as I sit here I am already planning my next marathon.

Dean shares 26.2 stories of inspirations, pain, and joy throughout the book.  Stories that will make you want to go out and start running yourself or provide key support to someone who is on their way to take on a marathon, an ultra or a local 5k.  While some stories are very inspirational and interesting, others seem to just be plain and not as extravagant when compared to Dean’s journey through the Death Valley.  Overall it is a pretty good read but it doesn’t compare to Deans Badwater experience.

What did you think?

“Three weeks later Chris’ legs are still numb. Four toenails have fallen out. He’s removed a large patch of skin from his severely-blistered foot. Another week later he is still having nightmares about his physical and psychological breakdown.”  – Chris Bergland and Scott Ludwig

This is the quote I thought would perfectly describe Scott Ludwig’s book, A Few Degrees from Hell: The 2003 Badwater Ultra-marathon.  Right away I have to tell you that I didn’t really have a desire to do Badwater before I read this book and after reading it and after my last long run training for a

A Few Degrees from Hell by Scott Ludwig

marathon in 80 degree weather, I still have no desire to put myself in the Death Valley.  Badwater Ultra-marathon is one of the toughest challenges a runner can face.  Runners have to face temperatures that go to 130 degrees on a regular basis, thousands of feet in elevation, melted shoes, sunburn, dust storms, blistered feet, hallucinations, exhaustion, scorpions, hallucinations, and anything else that you can imagine.  Hallucinations part almost makes it seem fun.  There is a reason why every year so few people from the millions of runners even consider participating in this event.  Even if you do decide on participating, you still go through a selection process and if you are selected you can try and conquer the 135 miles of pain that try and do their best to make you quit.

This book is composed of 26 different stories, from ultra-marathon veterans like Pam Reed, Dean Karnazes, Marshall Ulrich who have completed Badwater multiple times, to first time Badwater participants like Scott Ludwig, the books author, who decided to brave the DeathValley and its dangers.  All of these stories offer different views of the same race.  The last story was written by a crew member and gives you an inside look at what the runner’s crew goes through.  At some points all of the stories seem to be repetitive but each one has a lesson that you can take away from it.

Badwater participant

A very interesting read and if you ever considered participating in Badwater than this book has a lot good information and insight that should be pretty useful for you.  Good luck!

That is why after running a marathon in Rockford, I decided that it would be great to run a half marathon a week later. It may not be a good idea but I decided to take it easy and run it because I saw a great deal on Schwaggle.com and I just could not pass this up. So, I signed up for Splish Splash Half Marathon in Gurnee IL, which is sponsored by Adrenaline Sports Management.

Race started out at Key Lime Cove resort by 6 Flags Great America theme parks. When I read the description of the course, I got the feeling that the run will go through the theme park and there will be cartoon characters along the way, kind of like at Disney World’s

Splish Splash Half Marathon finish

Goofy Challenge. But the run went around the park on the parking lots and we could only see the roller coasters on the other side of the fence. Not a big deal, the course was still very nice somewhat scenic and very few long boring stretches. It was very well marked, and my Garmin Forerunner 305 (very good review) and mile markers were perfectly in synch.

The weather was finally sunny and warm, around 60F – just perfect for 13.1 run. There were enough water stations with volunteers giving out water, Gatorade, and gels so runners didn’t need to carry their own water. But everyone is different and I did see quite a few people with fuel belts.

As always, volunteers were doing a great job. Huge thank you to all of the volunteers! I did almost crash into a runner in front of me by the water station because he grabbed the water

Splish Splash Half Marathon finish

cup and just stopped right by the table in front of a volunteer and in front of me. I was able to avoid the collision and keep going. I wish volunteers would sometimes stay a few feet apart from each other not to create a bottleneck at the water table.

It’s a small race. Only about 360 runners ran the half marathon. You can check out the results by clicking here. I noticed there were a few triathletes, probably because Schwaggle.com had a good deal on the race. I also noticed people wearing some compression clothing like compression calf sleeves and compression socks by CEP and 2XU.  A few runners were wearing Vibram 5 Finger shoes. I love running in those myself and do it once a week to gradually get used to them. Another thing I notice at this and every race is that there are a lot of great people that you can just start a conversation with at any time, even during the run and the running gets easier, with someone next to you. I felt great throughout the whole run, and even though I am not fully acclimated the this seasons warmer weather I think I did pretty good.

Splish Splash Half Marathon medal

At the end of the race volunteers were giving out medals with Hawaiian Luau Cup and Lei.

Great energy, great run, nice party afterwards.

Red Vibram 5 Finger Bikila

I first started looking into the Vibram 5 Finger shoes when I developed a knee problem.  I did some research, read the forums and reviews.  One of the reviews said that after running in them the knee pain and back pain disappeared and that’s all I needed to hear.  I decided to give them a shot and ordered the Vibram 5 Finger Bikila which is made specifically for running.

After receiving them in the mail I tried to follow everything that I have read on the forums.  One of the tips is not to start out too hard and do too much.  I kept my distance short, 2-3 km per run, but I tried to use the Vibram 5 fingers on every run which was not so good.  After a few runs in the Vibram 5 Finger, regular running shoes seemed heavy and uncomfortable so I continued to run in the minimalistic shoes.  I was a forefoot runner to begin with but these shoes made me more aware of how my foot was striking the ground.  I started to land softer and almost glide instead of bouncing up and down.  Some people choose to go barefoot in the Vibram’s but I used Injinji socks, and that worked great for me.

Max's Vibram Bikila

After a few weeks a pain developed somewhere around my medial cuneiform bone and the metatarsal bone.  It became painful to run on that foot but the good thing is that the knee pain was gone.  I took a break from the Vibram 5 fingers and went back to my regular shoes, Asics Kayano.  After a few weeks the pain went away and I decided to use the Vibram 5 fingers once a week on my short runs and inside on treadmill runs.  It has worked so far and I am enjoying running again pain free, knock on wood.  The Vibram 5 Fingers hold up pretty well too.  I have been running in mine for about 9 months and they show little wear and tear.

One of the main things is to make sure you order theright size.  If you are ordering them online and don’t have a chance to try them on somewhere in a

Max's Vibram Bikila sideview

store, measure your foot according to the instructions on www.Vibramfivefingers.com and contact them to get their opinion on the size that you should get.  Mine fit just right.  Have fun running and remember to take it easy and be careful!

What are your thoughts on the Vibram 5 Fingers? Have you tried any other minimalistic shoes?

2011 Rockford Marathon

Because there are so few people running that race, and less than 300 people running the marathon, it’s very nice and quiet. There are no crowds of runners at any point of the run, which means you can just concentrate on yourself and enjoy all 26.2 miles, though, my Garmin 305 watch showed 26.5 miles when I was done.

Weather conditions were not bad; the rain just stopped and held out during the whole run except for some small drizzling. It was 45F with some strong winds.  It wasn’t cold but i decided to wear my favorite TriBug shirt and Craft Running jacket (i wore mens but only womens is available on the site) that served me so well for a long time. Also when it’s sunny or rainy I like to wear my TriBug running hat to keep the elements away.

I drove from the North-West suburbs of Chicago and it took me only a little over an hour. There is plenty of free municipal parking close to the start which is very convenient.

Konstantin

The course of the marathon starts in Rockford Downtown near Davis Park, and then continues

a little away from the center of the city, and loops back to Downtown where it splits off for

those running full and half marathons. The course is not very hilly: there are some low grade

hills on the way and only one steep short hill where full marathoners branch off. The second

part of the marathon is a little hillier than the first and the last few miles of the marathon go through forest preserve which is very calm and beautiful. The first 22 miles of the run were

ok, unfortunately on the last 4 miles my legs started cramping and I had to walk/run. But I pushed through and finished the run even though I didn’t hit my target time.

Volunteers are great and there is enough support so that you will not need to carry your own water. Water, sports drinks and some gels are available on the run.

Goodie bag had a nice tech shirt and some coupons from sponsors. The race uses disposable D-tag for time tracking that you put on your shoe, and I used my Fuel Belt Gel Ready race number belt to hold the number and some gels on the run.

2011 Rockford Marathon Finishers Medal

Overall it was yet another great experience of running a marathon and I would recommend this race for someone who doesn’t like big and loud crowds and who enjoys running.

And of course what we all look forward to at the end of the race is the finishers medal.

For the whole list of races that Konstantin and Max of TriBug have completed please refer to About Us page on TriBug.com

The book itself is well written and is very interesting.  It provides you with Lance Armstrong’s detailed history, from his childhood troubles, to his early start in triathlons, the cancer that taught him to live, and an improbable comeback to cycling that many people, including Lance, did not think was possible.  Throughout the book you see the man that is now Lance Armstrong form piece by piece.  The last few chapters Lance talks about the first two Tour de France wins and what they meant for him and his family.  You get a little peek at what’s going on during the tour, between the teams, riders and the media.

The cancer that threatened to take away his life, taught him to live life to the fullest, to take care of himself, and take care of others.  It seems that Armstrong was brought to this world to endure, be born again and live to tell others, encourage them and inspire.

Think what you want of Lance but when he was winning the Tour de France in the years of 1999-2005, I became a cycling fan and started cycling, which later brought me to triathlons and eventually to Tribug.com.  When I learned about the Livestrong foundation, I became aware and in my opinion that is why he is here now, to spread the word and get people involved.

“If you ever get a second chance in life for something, you’ve got to go all the way.” – Lance Armstrong

This book was written in 2001 and as you can see Lance has followed through, he got a second chance and took advantage of it.  I highly recommend this book.  It will be a quick read but it is only because you will not be able to put it down. Enjoy.